How to Make Your Home Festive for the Holidays When Still Running the AC

Sometimes it can be difficult to get in the holiday spirit when you live in a warmer climate. Traditionally, Thanksgiving and Christmas are thought of as a time for puffy coats, hot chocolate and a blanket of snow of the ground. Even though you may be wishing your heater’s running instead of your air conditioner, there’s still ways to bring the wintry holiday feel inside your home!

Here are some ideas for Thanksgiving:

Fireplace Mantle Foliage

Adding additional lighting to a space adds a sense of warmth and coziness. When decorating for Thanksgiving, wrap a strand of white lights around some fall foliage and assemble along the fireplace mantle.

Cozy Candle Collection

Candles are a great way to enhance the warm, holiday ambiance of a space. A more unique way to incorporate candles is by assembling a coffee table arrangement. Find a circular or rectangular tray to place a small pumpkin, along with pieces of artificial fall foliage and varying heights of candle jars. This is a classic look that will add a bit of sophistication to your living area.

Bold Table Centerpiece

Dining table centerpieces are essential to any good dinner party. They bring the space together and are a nice conversation starter. Bringing the nature indoors is an easy way to do create this look. First lay out a neutral-colored table runner to make the centerpiece standout. Then fill a horizontal wooden basket with greenery, pumpkins and candlesticks. This design is completely customizable depending on the size of table and desired look.

Evergreen Wreath Window Decor

People often forget about window decorations, but they have the potential to be a beautiful focal point in your home. Whether your windows have drapes or are bare, this design will work for either. All you need to do is buy a real evergreen wreath for each window in the room. Attach a thick ribbon to hold to wreath, and attach it to the wall. Since the backdrop of the wreath is the outdoors, it may even trick your mind into thinking the weather is cooler than it really is! Plus, it will make your home smell like the scent of Christmas.

Staircase Garland

Draping garland along the staircase is one of the quickest ways to achieve a festive holiday look. Once again, bringing the outdoors-in is always an easy way to incorporate a wintery look. Adding some white light strands is another way to enhance the look even more!

Home & Hungry for the Holidays

Baking, heart-warming holiday movies and Christmas music- how could you not be in the spirit? Invite a group of friends over to bake some holiday favorites while enjoying the Christmas music in the background. Once the treats are done and your home is filled with mouth-watering smells, sit back and relax with a classic holiday film!

If you’re wishing you could retire your AC during the holidays, but the weather refuses to permit, remember that it’s all about atmosphere. Creating these simple, yet effective looks will give you the festive feel you’ve been hoping for.